Mechanism for controlling the flow of exhaust-steam.



F. F. GOGGIN. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW 0F EXHAUST STEAM.

' APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 15, 1910. 1,062,080.

Patented May 20, 1913.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFioE.

FRANK F. COG-GIN, OI MA'IAWAN, NEW JEESEY, ASSIGNOBTO THE ECONOMY CAB HEATING COMPANY, OF NEW YOBK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

mncnanrsm son coN raonLmc m new or nxnausr-s'rnau.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15, 1910. Serial No. 592,492.

To all whom, it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, FRANK F. Coco-m,

a citizen of the United States, residing at The patent above noted relates to a device for controlling the flow of exhaust steam from a reciprocating engine, such as the air Pump on the locomotive, to a heating or other storage reservoir and comprises a differential piston device having one.

head subject to "the opposing pressures of the reservoir and the exhaust from the en e, the other head being exposed on one si e to atmospheric pressure.

exhaust steam pressure 1s high, the piston device is held m a positlon opening com- -munica-tion to the reservoir, but near the end of the stroke, the exhaust steam pressure falls sufliciently to permit the reservoir pressure to shift the piston device to a position in which the usual stack exhaust is opened and the communication to the reservoir is closed. While this apparatus has been found to 0 crate very satisfactorily, there is a possibi ity of injuring the piston valve device or the bufier spring which acts to take u the shock of the moving piston, due to t e impact caused by the sudden movement of the piston device.

The principal object of the present invention is to obviate the above difficulty, and forthis purpose, I provide means for automatically cutting off the su ply of fluid which acts as the propelling orce for the piston upon partial movement of the piston, so that a more gradual movement 1s secured and thereby the impact of the parts is reduced, thus obviating any tendency to breakage.

In the accompanying drawing, the sin le figure is a sectional view of a device or controlling the exhaust steam from an During the, first portion of the pump stroke, when the engine and embodying one form of my im-' provement.

My improvement is shown in the drawing as apphed to a construction similar to that covered in my PIIOI' patent hereinbefore referred to, comprising a casing 4 havin a Patented May 20, 1913.

piston chamber 3 containing head 5 o a differential piston device and a "piston chamher 7 containing the other head 6 of said differential piston. The chamber. at one side of iston head 5 is in open communication wit steam exhaust pi 1 ofthe engine 2 and in one position 0 the differential piston the head 5 opens communication from the exhaust pipe 1 through ports 8 to a pipe 9 which leads to a steam heating or other storage reservoir 10. In the opposite position of the differential piston, the head 6 opens communication from the exhaust pipe 1 through ports 11 to the usual exhaust outlet pipe 12, the head 5 then closing communication from pipe 1 to pipe 9. Adjacent the outer' face of'piston head 6 which is subject to atmospheric pressure, is a movable bufi'er plate 16, the movement of which is resisted by a buffer spring 18. A stop device 36 limits the movement of said buffer plate 16.

151 pipe 13, leading from the reservoir 10 and containing a cut-out cook 15, supplies fluid to a passage 14 in casing 4 and a valve device 37 controls communication from passage 14 to the chamber at the outer face of piston head 5. The valve device 37 is provided with an operating stem which is adapted to engage with the piston head 5, so that the movement of said head to its position opening the ports 8 also pushes the valve device 37 ofi its seat and establishes communication from the passage 14 through the annular space 38 and ports 39 to the chamber below the piston head 5. The valve device-may be provided with a spring 40 tending to seat same, and-the bufi'er'spring pipe 1 to chamber 3 and acts on the piston head 5 to move the iston device to its extreme position in w ich the bufi'er spring 19 is compressed and the orts 8 are fully open to the chamber 3 and the flow of exhaust steam, while the smaller piston head 6 closes the ports 11. In this position of the parts, the valve device 37 is pushed off its seat by the movement of the piston head 5 so that communication is open from pipe 13 and the heating reservoir 10 to the outer face of piston head 5.

' During the first part of the engine stroke, the exhaust pressure acting on piston 5 is at its highest point and holds the piston in its extreme position, while the exhaust steam flows through ports 8 into the reservoir 10, and equalizes through ipe 13 into the chamber below the piston liead 5. As the exhaust pressure diminishes during the latter part of the engine stroke, the pressure below piston 5, aided by spring 19 and the small piston 6 being exposed to atmospheric pressure, soon rises to a point suflicient to start the diflerential piston valve device upward to close the ports 8 and open outlet ports 11 to the atmosphere, thereby entirely relieving the engine from-the back pressure of the reservoir during the latter part of the stroke of the engme iston. During this upward movement 0 piston 5, the valve 37 is permitted to close as soon as the piston has moved a slight distance, to the position shown in the drawing, thereby cutting oif further supply of fluid under pressure from the reservoir to the lower side.

of the piston. It will thus be evident that with the supply of fluid cut off the sudden movement of the piston is prevented, while there is suificient force due to the e ansion of the fluid sealed in the chamber below the piston to effect the full upward movement thereof. The piston device is thus prevented from making violent impact with the butter plate 16 and danger of breakage of parts is avoided.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular means shown for automatically regulating the supply of fluid to the piston head 5, as it will be evident that various other devices within the scope of the invention may be employed.

For the purpose of cutting the difi'erential piston valve device out of operation whenever desired, there may be provided a cylinder 21 containing a piston 20 having a boss 32'for engaging a stem 22, which passes through a gland or stufling box 23 and is adapted .to engage the piston 5 and raise the same to its upper position with the exhaust outlet ports 11 full open. The supply of fluid from a reservoir 29 for actuating the piston 20 may be controlled by a cock 25, located in the pi e 24, and having ports 26, 27 and 28. en the cock is turned to admit fluid from the reservoir 29 to the cylinder 21, the piston 20 is forced upward, and the flange 30 engages a seat 31 for maintaining a tight joint, and preventing leakage around the piston.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- 1. In an exhaust steam apparatus, the combination wit-h a source of exhaust steam having two outlet passages, and a steam receptacle or reservoir, said passages communicating respectively with the normal exhaust outlet and with said receptacle, of a piston device for controlling said passages and exposed on one side to the pressure of exhaust steam from said source tending to operate said device to close the passage to t e normal exhaust, means serving to permit communication from the receptacle to the opposite side of said piston, and means governed by the movement of said piston device for controllin communication from the reservoir to the last mentioned side of said iston device.

2. 11 an exhaust steam apparatus, the combination with a source of exhaust steam having two outlet passages, and a reservoir, said passages communicating respectivel with the normal exhaust outlet and wit said reservoir, of a piston device for controlling said passages and exposed on. one side to the pressure of exhaust steam, means of communication from the reservoir to the opposite side of said piston device, and a valve governed by the movement of the piston for controlling said communication.

3. In an exhaust steam apparatus, the combination with a source of exhaust steam having two outlet passages, and a steam receptacle or reservoir, said passages communicating respectively with the normal exhaust outlet and with said receptacle, of a piston device for controlling said passages and exposed on one side to the pressure of exhaust steam, means of communication from the receptacle to the opposite side of said piston device when the device is in an extreme position, and means operating to cut ofi communication from the receptacle to said opposite side of the piston as the same moves from said extreme position to its opposite position.

4. A steam controlling device comprisin a casing having an inlet passage, a norma exhaust outlet, and another outlet for diverting a portion of the steam, a iston device for controlling the normal e aust outlet and exposed on one side to the inlet steam pressure, said casing also having a return passage for admitting the diverted steam to the space at the opposite side of the piston, .and means governed by the movement of the piston or controlling communication through said return passage.

5. Tn a steam controlling apparatus, the

combination with a casing and a iston therein forming a chamber on each-side of another outlet passage leading to the reser-V voir, a return conduit from the reservoir to the chamber at the other side of the piston, and means governed by the movement of the piston for controlling the normal exhaust outlet and also the return conduit.

6; The combination with a reservoir, of a steam controlling device comprising a casing having an inlet passage, a normal exhaust outlet and another outlet communicating with the reservoir, a piston device operated by the opposing pressures of the inlet supply and of the reservoir and subjected in one side to the inlet steam pressure, a return conduit from the reservo1r to the space at the other side of thepiston, and

means governed by-the movement of the pis-' ton for opening and closing said return conduit. I

7. The combination with a reservoir, of a steam controlling device comprisin a casing having an inlet passage, a norma exhaust outlet and another outlet communicating with the reservoir, a piston device subject onone side to the inlet steam pressure and operating to control said outlets, a return conduit rom the reservoir to the space at the opposite side of the piston,- and means governed by the movement of the piston for opening and closing'said return conduit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK F. COGGIN.

Witnesses J. SNOWDEN BELL A. P. FOWLER. 

